REVIEW

FFH: Still the Cross

By Belinda ElliottCBN.com Producer

CBN.com
 About a month ago I heard a song on the radio that caught my attention.
As is the case every few months, this new song required that I update my “must
purchase” list. It came as no surprise when I later learned that the powerful
voices behind the song “Still the Cross” belonged to FFH. From the
very first time I heard two of the group’s early hits, “One of These
Days” and “Big Fish,” I was hooked. I’ve been a fan
ever since.

The band’s newest offering provides a mixture of the funky pop that
FFH fans have come to love along with a few more mellow ballads. Band members
have called their newest project a “labor of love” that allowed
them to have a more hands-on approach than past albums.

Since their last album, several of the band members have celebrated life
changing milestones. Jeromy and Jennifer Deibler became parents with the birth
of their first son, Hutch. One year and one day later, band member Brian Smith
and his wife welcomed their daughter Elaine Grace into the world. The band
brought these and other experiences into the studio with them as they worked
on Still the Cross. The result is a collection of powerful songs
that speak about life and issues faced by all of us.

All ten songs on the album were written or co-written by band members. In
“The Long Haul” band member Jeromy Deibler speaks of marriage
and the commitment required to make it work. “Another Day With You”
– a sweet ballad that songwriter Michael Boggs describes as “just
a little country love song” -- speaks about meeting that special someone.
“You and Only You”, co-written by Jeromy and Michael, was inspired
by Jeromy’s son Hutch.

Another experience that the band draws from is the death of their friend’s
five-year-old son, Trevin Dilfer. Trevin, the son of Seattle Seahawks quarterback
Trent Dilfer, died from a rare infection. Band members wrote “Cover
Me” using entries that Trent made in a journal in the days before his
son’s funeral.

The song honestly expresses the raw emotions we experience at the loss of
loved ones or in the midst of trials. It acknowledges God as our source of
strength and healing during these times.

Your ways are higher
Your love is stronger
And through this pain
You’ll cover me
Your grace is greater
When there are no answers
And through this pain
You’ll cover me

Of course the album would not be complete without the fun, toe-tapping pop
songs that have made FFH so popular. Fans will not be disappointed.

“You Drive, I’ll Ride” is upbeat and catchy, encouraging
listeners to let God be in control of their lives. Another cheerful melody,
“Without You,” features a contagious chorus that praises God’s
continuous love and presence. This feel-good rock song will be stuck in your
head long after the CD player is turned off.

But it is in the title track, “Still the Cross,” that listeners
will find the band’s heartfelt mission. After more than $1 million in
sales, seven No. 1 radio hits, and 17 Top 5 singles, the band’s single
purpose continues to be pointing people to Christ.

“No matter where you’ve been or what you’ve done, the message
of the cross is still the same,” the band writes on the album’s
jacket. “It’s a message of hope.”

“Still the Cross” eloquently speaks of that hope.

When the world falls apart
And you fear for your heart
There’s a tower of peace
It’s still the cross

So bring your sick and your poor
And your longing for more
To the place of relief
It’s still the cross
There is hope for the loss
It’s still the cross